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Final Report Final Report Almond International Networking Ross Skinner Almond Board of Australia (ABA) Project Number: AL12701 AL12701 This project has been funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the almond industry levy and funds from the Australian Government. Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited (Hort Innovation) makes no representations and expressly disclaims all warranties (to the extent permitted by law) about the accuracy, completeness, or currency of information in Almond International Networking. Reliance on any information provided by Hort Innovation is entirely at your own risk. Hort Innovation is not responsible for, and will not be liable for, any loss, damage, claim, expense, cost (including legal costs) or other liability arising in any way (including from Hort Innovation or any other person’s negligence or otherwise) from your use or non-use of Almond International Networking, or from reliance on information contained in the material or that Hort Innovation provides to you by any other means. ISBN 0 7341 3711 7 Published and distributed by: Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited Level 8, 1 Chifley Square Sydney NSW 2000 Tel: (02) 8295 2300 Fax: (02) 8295 2399 © Copyright 2016 Contents Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Keywords ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 5 Methodology .................................................................................................................................. 6 Outputs ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Outcomes ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Evaluation and Discussion ............................................................................................................... 8 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 8 Scientific Refereed Publications........................................................................................................ 8 IP/Commercialisation ...................................................................................................................... 8 References .................................................................................................................................... 8 Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... 8 Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 9 2 Summary The Australian almond industry has grown rapidly in the past decade. The speed of the growth has meant that the Australian industry has now become a significant part of the global almond industry as the world’s second largest producer. The Australian industry is dwarfed by the Californian almond industry that produces between 75-80% of world production. The Almond Board of Australia has established a beneficial relationship with the Almond Board of California. It is recognized that most of the technology used in Australia was developed by the Californian industry and so the Australian industry recognizes a debt to the US producers and processors and their industry’s market development programs. In acknowledging this the Australian industry has an open policy in relation to sharing the outputs of our research programs and the knowledge of industry participants which in the areas of drought management, irrigation, nutrition, varietal breeding and orchard and processing equipment is valued by the Californian industry. During the period of this project the Almond Board of Australia has received assistance from the Almond Board of California in relation to food safety research, product pasteurization and consumer concerns, pre-shipment sampling and testing, trade issue management in Europe and India, industry statistics, market analysis, researcher visits, Conference presenters, insights into their research programs, access to research reports and attendance at their conference. One example of this is the ABA receiving access to the nutritional research undertaken by American researchers during the past decade at a cost of $15million. Access to ABC staff to draw on their past experience on matters now faced by the Australian industry has been very valuable. The broader international almond and other nut industries were also engaged through attendance at the International Nut Congress. The Spanish industry, which has rootstock and hard shell variety breeding projects and a significant agronomic research programs were visited in 2013 and 2015 and good contacts were established to enable their breeding and high density orchard systems to be monitored. The relationships established were also useful in the task of having a tissue culturing company of the international standing of Agromillora establish in Australia to rapidly multiply rootstocks for the benefit of the almond and other horticultural industries. Research providers involved in high density orchard development in Summerfruit and pome fruit industries in New Zealand, Spain and the US were also a key focus of developing a network of research providers as the Australian almond industry moves to develop advanced production systems based on dwarfing rootstocks. 3 The networking project also facilitated meetings to discuss technology extension with industry organizations that have a proven record of success. The ABA has strong processes in place to distribute the contact details of those people that are part of the developing network throughout the grower, processor and marketer segments of the Australian industry and to disseminate the information gathered. As a result of the network of international contacts developed as a result of this project many industry participants and researchers have been welcomed overseas and are now part of a much broader network than those funded by this project. Keywords Networks, collaboration, almonds. 4 Introduction The Australian almond industry has a gross value of production close to $1 billion. The growth of the industry has been rapid. Many of the challenges faced by the industry are shared with the Californian industry or they have previously dealt with them. The Australian industry is indebted to the Californian industry for the development of the production system that forms the basis of the modern Australian almond industry established in the past decade. There is much still to be learned from the US industry and the Australian industry has knowledge that is of value as part of a two way exchange. The Almond Board of Australia has adopted an open policy in regard to information. This attitude has enabled an open and trusting relationship to be developed with participants of the Californian industry and their researchers. The areas of interest covered with the US industry include: food safety; consumer research; nutritional studies; varieties and rootstocks; new chemicals for pest, disease and weed control; equipment development; closer plantings; tree nutrition; crop modelling; cogeneration using almond hulls. The Spanish industry also offers valuable knowledge in terms of varieties and rootstocks suited to Australia’s low fertility soils and soils containing limestone. The Spanish have also established world class tissue culturing facilities that have not been available in Australia. Their nursery techniques and products are of the highest quality. The Spanish researchers and Agromillora are also investigating high density plantings and in-field hulling which are both of great interest as components of an advanced production system. The use of controlled environment storages is also being led by Spanish hullers. Pollination is a key requirement of the almond industry and remains a major crop risk with biosecurity threats to bees from Varroa Mite, other hive health issues, and a hive supply issue in meeting the requirements of a rapidly increasing orchard acreage. The New Zealand Kiwi fruit industry and researchers are very experienced in managing Varroa Mite and are researching efficient pollination technologies including pollen collection and mechanical application. New Zealand research has also led the way with regard to high density plantings for apples and Summerfruit crops. The visit to New Zealand developed contacts in Crop and Food NZ, PollenPlus and Agfirst, a company with industry benchmarking programs utilised in the apple industry and since our visit now developed for the almond industry. The project funding has facilitated travel to a range of Conferences, face to face meetings, field trial inspections and discussions that has enabled a broad international network of contacts to be developed that have provided valuable knowledge and guidance to the Australian industry during the period of this project and will continue to in future. The network of contacts developed have been with the following organisations: Almond Board of California University of California
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